Knives

[snapshotmd]

Hi everyone,

I'm looking to get a new set of knives. I'd like to get a nice set of knives that are a joy to use, durable, and hold an edge.

I've just started looking and the knife sets that I'm looking at now are Henckels and Wusthoff. The Alton Brown endorsed Kershaw Shun knives are out of my price range.

Could anyone give me some recommendations? Other companies that I should look at?

Thanks!
snaps

[swamp smoker]

Hey Snapshotmd

I just got a set of Calphon knives the 8pc set +6 steak knives.the block for this set will not hold the steak knives.
I love the balance of these knives .They are full tang german steel but made in China. I decided to go with these because of price (i believe they were in the $180 range and the customer service we've received from Calphalon on there other cookware has been more than excellent. Which they have replaced for free when we've had a few problems after 6yrs of use.
I found mine on the net but i didn't buy them until i got them in my hands. I don't like the feel of Henckels in my hand they just don't fit me right.Make sure they feel good and natural in your hand otherwise they won't be any fun to use.
I know others like Forschners but I've never owned any myself.Make sure you get forged blades if you can afford them.Its just better steel and better mfg quality.

Seeyaaa
Swampsmoker

[JackStack]

I have a set of Forschners I bought on the recomendation of someone on this forum, I cant remember who. They are great I would definitely look at them if I were you, they hold an edge nicely and have a good feel in my hand

[SeanB]

We have a Global knife that I really like.

I have always heard to stay away from knife sets and just buy the knifes you need. The sets don't really save you money if you are getting knives you don't need/want. Just make sure you can pickup the knives and hold them before you plunk down the cash...

[StPeteBBQ]

Forschner's Rock!!! Great price, great knife. Don't listen to the hype about forged vs stamped until you've got a Forschner in your hand.

www.cutleryandmore.com <-- good place to order. Spend $75 & get a free Swiss Army Knife, not a cheapy either. Free shipping too. & best prices I've found.

[Duke]

for what it's worth...
I have carried Kershaw knives for years, my main belt knife is over 20 years old &
has cut thru seatbelts, leather, wood, plaster, etc. as a volunteer firefighter /
medical first responder. It wasn't cheap, but you get what you pay for, depends how
you will use it & how much you use it. If you want to just cut meat to serve or
fancy shapes out of tomatoes.... you have to decide. This is the right place for advice
as it has helped me several times. Thanks to all !
duke

[TomKattt]

IF you decide on Henckles, there are two distinct lines; Zwillings Henckles, and Henckles International. These are very different. The Zwillings are the original German drop-forged top quality knives that made Henckles famous. The Henckles International knives are cheaper but not as good.

Whusthoff knives are top quality and are on par with the Zwillings. Both companies charge a LOT for their knives. Excellent knives, premium prices.

Forschner uses stamped blades. The usual wisdom is drop-forged is better. BUT Forschner is about the only stamped knife that enjoys a great reputation. These cost far less than the Whusthoffs and Henckles, but are still excellent knives. These are probably the best bang for the buck.

[snapshotmd]

Tom,
That's some useful info. I didn't know that.
Thanks!
snaps

[snapshotmd]

I just came back from Kitchen & Co.; tried the Wusthoff, Henckels, Shun, and Global knives. I only tried their 8" and 10" chef knives and I could say without a doubt that the Henckels 8" chef's blade felt the best of all the 8" blades. The main reason is the heftiness of the knife; it felt like I had something in my hands. The balance is nice too.

This got me thinking. Most of the sites I've visited favored the Wusthoff over the Henckels for some reason. The Shun blades felt relatively light as well, and these are more expensive then Henckels. Should I be looking for a lighter knife??? I guess since there will be a lot of "up and down" movement perhaps the lighter knife is more ergonomic?

What d'yall think? Am I 2nd guessing myself?

snaps

[TomKattt]

The way I hear it, the Henckels (the Zwillings ones, not the International) and the Whusthoff are approximately equal in quality, and it's personal preference that should determine which one you buy. If you got to do a little slicing and dicing, and the Henckels felt better, then by all means get that one.

[StPeteBBQ]

I prefer the lightweight feel of the Forschners, so I would not say you need a heavy knife.

Only you can determine what feels best. It all depends on how you're going to use the knives. If you're only cooking for yourself and family, that's one thing. If you're gonna do catering, where you'll be serving 100 or more people at a time, you might not want a heavy knife. Slicing 10 briskets can be a real chore. I had the 14" Forschner Granton edge slicer, but recently swapped it for the 12" model. Also added the new Forschner Santuko granton-edge and the Forschner Cleaver.

You're looking at quality stuff, so just get what feels good to you.

Also, I would advise you NOT to purchase a knife set. Choose the knives you want, not just what comes in a set. Plus, the knife blocks usually suck. I prefer a magnetic bar to store my knifes. Keeps the blades much better.

[-cp]

In my opinion, Kershaw Shun about about the best you can get.. we use em' and love em'.... they have the sharpest edge and a superiour handle on it..

Alton Brown does a great job of explaining more about them:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-2611989298700188336&hl=en

I know they're his personal fav too.. :)